Playa de La Concha

The glorious crescent of sand that curves all the way west from the old town to the pleasant but unremarkable suburb of Ondarreta, the Playa de La Concha, has to rank among the very finest city beaches in the world. Even in the depths of winter it’s usually busy with walkers and playing children, while on summer days every inch tends to be covered in roasting flesh. Swimmers keen to escape the crowds can head out to floating platforms moored offshore. Slightly further out, a little pyramidal island, the Isla de Santa Clara, is accessible via regular ferries that set off from near the aquarium, just outside the old town. Also at the old-town end of the beach, the strange-looking building that resembles a boat seen side-on is the Real Club Náutico (Royal Sailing Club), built in the Rationalist style in 1928.